Post by violetrook on Jan 7, 2020 23:45:42 GMT -5
Pawprince entered the healer’s den and sniffed. The place smelled…funny. He was very much used to seeing a veterinary clinic. The Jellicles were doing okay though. In what could only the be the waiting room, Pawprince saw an old brown suit case. It was opened with the nearly broken off handle being tied to the ceiling to keep it from closing. The suit case itself was full of make-shift pillows from various cushions and things found here in the Junkyard. Other kit-bashed objects also served as chairs or beds there in the waiting room.
His paws moved across the thick tapestry carpet sprawled across the ground. The colors had begun to fade so long ago that in some areas it was just a grey balding spot. However, in the very center of the room, where the carpet was not covered, was shown what was light shining down from the clouds on to the ground. Where this light touched the earth was paw-painted various cats and one was painted as to be floating. It was a fine depiction of Heaviside shining down in all its glory.
Pawprince let his nose guide him around until he found a small ward area. Eight “beds” were arranged around this room with curtains in various conditions that could be used for partitions. The only curious part of the curtains were none of the cords were straight. Each cord was some kind of puzzle or knotted mess. Perhaps it was something used to help pass the time.
Laying in five of the beds were felines in various stages of recovery. Ears turned in Pawprince’s direction the moment he was at the ward’s doorway. A few eyes looked his way too and he even saw a couple of noses sniff toward him.
“Uh, hello…everyone. I heard there were some new faces and I…uh…wanted to say: Hello,” he said quietly.
A couple of strays lay their heads back down. The others just continued to stare at Pawprince as if they were waiting to be told to get out. One of them was a young female red-haired Somali; roughly the same age as Pawprince. She let her eyes drop to view the floor as he attempted eye contact with her.
Without even realizing Pawprince took a few steps closer to her. He was whispering in an attempt to not startle her, “Hey, it’s okay. It’s going to be alright.”
“How..,” she began, but was forced to close her eyes while she cleared her throat, “How would you know it’s going to be alright?”
It was Pawprince’s turn to look down, but soon lifted his eyes to meet her leafy-green gaze, “You’re right…I don’t. I don’t know you. Any of you. I’ve no clue what you’ve been through or what the future holds. But, I do know who I am…and I know where I am. I’m new here too. It’s only been maybe a month and I was gone for half of that…Long story…But, since I became a Jellicle…My life here has felt amazing. The folks here are kind, warm, and wonderful. You should really get to know these people. At least give them a chance. I know no one will force you to stay. So, what do you have to lose by trying.”
A kitten’s voice from another bed said, “Who are you any way Mister?”
Pawprince cocked his head to the side as if it were a truly strange question to hear. He looked around the room slowly taking in everyone. Then he smiled. He mainly smiled at the Somali but he did let his smile wash over everyone.
“I’m Pawprince, the Prince…of Paws,” and he held up his paws and batted at the air.
“That’s a silly name mister,” came another voice.
Pawprince half-walked half-danced over to the kitten. She was a white bodied Van cat with the slightest hint of blue around the base of her ears and the tip of her tail. She looked up at Pawprince with the clearest crystal-blues eyes. It was adorable. Then Pawprince noticed the bandage round her right hind leg. At first he started to get angry. All he could was stare. This caused her to shrink in to the bed a little. The movement snapped Pawprince out of his ire’s percolation. The smile returned to his face.
“I…I’m so sorry you were hurt. I saw your leg and was upset that someone hurt you. Then I was upset that I wasn’t here. If I were here, I might could have helped you…All of you,” he said as he leaned in and bumped noses with the white kitten.
“Mister Prince… It’s okay. I’m gunna get big,” she said.
“Yes, you will.”
“And then I’ll be strong enough to rip their arms off!,” she nearly yelled.
Pawprince stumbled backward. His paws flailed and he back-peddled and fell in to one of the near-by empty beds. The strays chuckled at him. Pawprince rolled up and layed belly down on the bed facing the kitten.
“That’s a sad thing. Please, don’t feel that way. I know the pain is fresh right now. And it’s okay to be angry. Don’t…don’t let them change you. Then…they truly win,” he said quietly.
“Mister Paw...,” the van cat said, changing his name again, “I don’t know who I am. So, what is there to change?”
“Please, just call me Pawprince, or Paw…,” he started to reply, but was cut off.
“I told you that was a silly name,” she said innocently.
“…Better a silly name than no name,” he feigned wounding, “Well, go on then…What’s your name? Let’s hear it.”
She stared at him with those crystal eyes and blinked once.
A small moment of silence passed and when he only continued to smile at her with that really stupid grin on his face she whispered, “Ghossamyr…It’s Ghossamyr.”
“Well, hello there Ghossamyr,” he nodded toward her and then looked over across each cat in turn, “And what is your name…”
“Mayhymn!”
“Benedict!”
“Bleys!”
Then Pawprince’s eyes landed on the red-furred Somali. He could have sworn she blushed just a bit. She shook her head slightly, as if to say ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this’ and then said, “Ahri.”
“Well, we all have names now. And I’ll tell you all something…I wont ever forget them. I so solemnly swear it. And you know what… The Jellicles are a real family. They wont forget your names either. And that’s….the best reason to stay,” Pawprince said as he slowly stood up.
He made his way to center of the room and locked eyes with Ahri. She once again let her eyes fall to the floor, but it was for a totally different reason. Pawprince knew she was attempting to hide a smile.
Slowly, he began to snap. Seemingly random at first, but then there was a steady beat… He turned slowly in a semi-circle to make sure everyone knew they were included in what was to happen. And then…
He said to the whole room, while at the same time managing to make it seem like he was only speaking to Ahri, “Please. Stay. If only for a while. Surely, you can find something here worthwhile.”
Before anyone could answer there was a presence at the door…
Everyone Knows Your Name
His paws moved across the thick tapestry carpet sprawled across the ground. The colors had begun to fade so long ago that in some areas it was just a grey balding spot. However, in the very center of the room, where the carpet was not covered, was shown what was light shining down from the clouds on to the ground. Where this light touched the earth was paw-painted various cats and one was painted as to be floating. It was a fine depiction of Heaviside shining down in all its glory.
Pawprince let his nose guide him around until he found a small ward area. Eight “beds” were arranged around this room with curtains in various conditions that could be used for partitions. The only curious part of the curtains were none of the cords were straight. Each cord was some kind of puzzle or knotted mess. Perhaps it was something used to help pass the time.
Laying in five of the beds were felines in various stages of recovery. Ears turned in Pawprince’s direction the moment he was at the ward’s doorway. A few eyes looked his way too and he even saw a couple of noses sniff toward him.
“Uh, hello…everyone. I heard there were some new faces and I…uh…wanted to say: Hello,” he said quietly.
A couple of strays lay their heads back down. The others just continued to stare at Pawprince as if they were waiting to be told to get out. One of them was a young female red-haired Somali; roughly the same age as Pawprince. She let her eyes drop to view the floor as he attempted eye contact with her.
Without even realizing Pawprince took a few steps closer to her. He was whispering in an attempt to not startle her, “Hey, it’s okay. It’s going to be alright.”
“How..,” she began, but was forced to close her eyes while she cleared her throat, “How would you know it’s going to be alright?”
It was Pawprince’s turn to look down, but soon lifted his eyes to meet her leafy-green gaze, “You’re right…I don’t. I don’t know you. Any of you. I’ve no clue what you’ve been through or what the future holds. But, I do know who I am…and I know where I am. I’m new here too. It’s only been maybe a month and I was gone for half of that…Long story…But, since I became a Jellicle…My life here has felt amazing. The folks here are kind, warm, and wonderful. You should really get to know these people. At least give them a chance. I know no one will force you to stay. So, what do you have to lose by trying.”
A kitten’s voice from another bed said, “Who are you any way Mister?”
Pawprince cocked his head to the side as if it were a truly strange question to hear. He looked around the room slowly taking in everyone. Then he smiled. He mainly smiled at the Somali but he did let his smile wash over everyone.
“I’m Pawprince, the Prince…of Paws,” and he held up his paws and batted at the air.
“That’s a silly name mister,” came another voice.
Pawprince half-walked half-danced over to the kitten. She was a white bodied Van cat with the slightest hint of blue around the base of her ears and the tip of her tail. She looked up at Pawprince with the clearest crystal-blues eyes. It was adorable. Then Pawprince noticed the bandage round her right hind leg. At first he started to get angry. All he could was stare. This caused her to shrink in to the bed a little. The movement snapped Pawprince out of his ire’s percolation. The smile returned to his face.
“I…I’m so sorry you were hurt. I saw your leg and was upset that someone hurt you. Then I was upset that I wasn’t here. If I were here, I might could have helped you…All of you,” he said as he leaned in and bumped noses with the white kitten.
“Mister Prince… It’s okay. I’m gunna get big,” she said.
“Yes, you will.”
“And then I’ll be strong enough to rip their arms off!,” she nearly yelled.
Pawprince stumbled backward. His paws flailed and he back-peddled and fell in to one of the near-by empty beds. The strays chuckled at him. Pawprince rolled up and layed belly down on the bed facing the kitten.
“That’s a sad thing. Please, don’t feel that way. I know the pain is fresh right now. And it’s okay to be angry. Don’t…don’t let them change you. Then…they truly win,” he said quietly.
“Mister Paw...,” the van cat said, changing his name again, “I don’t know who I am. So, what is there to change?”
“Please, just call me Pawprince, or Paw…,” he started to reply, but was cut off.
“I told you that was a silly name,” she said innocently.
“…Better a silly name than no name,” he feigned wounding, “Well, go on then…What’s your name? Let’s hear it.”
She stared at him with those crystal eyes and blinked once.
A small moment of silence passed and when he only continued to smile at her with that really stupid grin on his face she whispered, “Ghossamyr…It’s Ghossamyr.”
“Well, hello there Ghossamyr,” he nodded toward her and then looked over across each cat in turn, “And what is your name…”
“Mayhymn!”
“Benedict!”
“Bleys!”
Then Pawprince’s eyes landed on the red-furred Somali. He could have sworn she blushed just a bit. She shook her head slightly, as if to say ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this’ and then said, “Ahri.”
“Well, we all have names now. And I’ll tell you all something…I wont ever forget them. I so solemnly swear it. And you know what… The Jellicles are a real family. They wont forget your names either. And that’s….the best reason to stay,” Pawprince said as he slowly stood up.
He made his way to center of the room and locked eyes with Ahri. She once again let her eyes fall to the floor, but it was for a totally different reason. Pawprince knew she was attempting to hide a smile.
Slowly, he began to snap. Seemingly random at first, but then there was a steady beat… He turned slowly in a semi-circle to make sure everyone knew they were included in what was to happen. And then…
“Make’n your way in the world today
Takes everything you’ve got.
Take’n a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot.
Wouldn’t you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name.
And they’re always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see
The troubles are all the same.
You wanna be where everyone knows your name.
You wanna go where you can know
The people are all the same.
You wanna go where everyone knows your name."
When it was over Pawprince made sure he stopped facing Ahri. This time she didn’t try to hide her smile. His heart was already beating from singing and dancing and he felt it move in to overdrive. He bowed to the small claps and giggles in the room.He said to the whole room, while at the same time managing to make it seem like he was only speaking to Ahri, “Please. Stay. If only for a while. Surely, you can find something here worthwhile.”
Before anyone could answer there was a presence at the door…
Everyone Knows Your Name
